Semi-Regular Mesh Extraction from Volumes

Abstract:
We present a novel method to extract iso-surfaces from distance
volumes. It generates high quality semi-regular multiresolution
meshes of arbitrary topology. Our technique proceeds in two stages.
First, a very coarse mesh with guaranteed topology is extracted.
Subsequently an iterative multi-scale forced-based solver refines
the initial mesh into a semi-regular mesh with geometrically
adaptive sampling rate and good aspect ratio triangles. The coarse
mesh extraction is performed using a new approach we call surface
wavefront propagation. A set of discrete iso-distance ribbons
are rapidly built and connected while respecting the topology of the
iso-surface implied by the data. Subsequent multi-scale refinement is driven by
a simple force-based solver designed to combine good
iso-surface fit and high quality sampling through reparameterization.
In contrast to the Marching Cubes technique our output meshes adapt
gracefully to the iso-surface geometry, have natural multiresolution
structure and good aspect ratio triangles, as demonstrated with a number
of examples.